Show Me Your Heart [ A Niall Horan OU ]

Part 7

Niall glances over at Sonam who is cuddled up at the opposite end of his couch under the blanket. She's got her legs laid out and resting in his lap and his big hands are squeezing them soothingly. She's been awfully quiet today and it's starting to bother him. He's been chalking it up to the fact that she's not a morning person and they'd met quite early to go to a pancake place downtown. But it's almost 1 now and she's still evading him.

Even over pancakes she'd kept to herself and only answered the bare minimum of questions and Niall wonders where his smiley, sassy girl has gone off too. After they'd finished, she'd spotted a bookstore across the street and the tempted smile on her face was more than enough for Niall to lead her into the store. She'd picked up a stack of various books while Niall sat in one of the comfy chairs at the front of the store, watching her weave her way through the aisles of books with big, curious eyes. She looked much like a kid in a candy store.

Now she's got her head buried in one of the books and still hasn't said more than a handful of words to Niall. He clears his throat slightly and squeezes her foot, and once more when she doesn't look at him.

"Baby," Niall says, staring at her.

Sonam lifts her head and tucks hair behind her ear when it swings forward and curtains her view. Her eyes soften and she sets her arm inside her book as a makeshift bookmark, "Sorry. What?"

"Come here," Niall demands, wrapping his fingers around her ankle and giving it a tug.

She doesn't protest, leaning down to put her book face down on the floor before scrambling onto her knees and crawling across the couch to Niall, blanket in tow.

Niall opens his arms and pulls her into his chest, burying his face into her hair as she settles the blanket over both of them. Once she's done Niall tilts her chin up and leans closer to nuzzle his nose into her temple, "Where ya at today, darlin? Cause ya aren't here with me."

Sonam grips the fabric of his shirt in her hands, peering up at him. And that's when it clicks for Niall. She's nervous, and severely so. She bites her lip and gives him a sheepish stare.

Niall lifts his hand and cups her cheek, pushing her soft brown hair aside and boring his blue eyes into her brilliant brown ones with due concern, "Talk to me, angel. What's wrong?"

Sonam sighs, her eyelids fluttering before she speaks up, "I'm sorry. I know I'm being weird.. I just... there's this party." She watches Niall's face scrunch up in confusion and she cracks a little smile, "A company party. Like an end of the year celebration, you know? And I...I want you to go with me."

Niall doesn't say anything and Sonam swallows before starting to ramble.

"I mean, if you want. I just don't know how you feel about going with me..in public. I'm not sure if we're at tha-" Sonam is cut off when Niall leans down and presses his lips to hers, softly. He brushes his thumbs back and forth along her cheeks when he pulls away, resting his forehead against hers.